WP4 – Task 4.3 LCA Activities Innovative recycled plastic based panels for building field 30° Month MEETING Madrid February 6, 2014

Contents EcoPlasBrick panel general description LCA – Phases LCA – Goal and scope LCA – Inventory Analysis (LCI) LCA – Impact Assessment (LCIA) LCA – Interpretation Status in brief Deliverable D4.2 November 2013 Deliverable D4.3 January 2014 30° MONTH MEETING - Madrid, February 6, 2014

Deliverable D4.2 D. 4.2.1 – LCA phase I: Definition of goal and scope, Data inventory D. 4.2.2 – LCA phase II: Impact Assessment 30° MONTH MEETING - Madrid, February 6, 2014

EcoPlasBrick panel general description Ecoplasbrick panel is a sandwich panel made of a core of recycled plastic waste (in form of densified flakes) mixed with Polyurethane resin, and two plasterboard skins. The panel frame is made of wood and steel plates. In particular, the LCA will be performed on a specific panel used for vertical indoor rooms division. In the following are provided brief descriptions for the LCA phases, and the results achieved. 30° MONTH MEETING - Madrid, February 6, 2014

LCA – Phases The LCA study is performed in accordance with internationally recognized guidelines (ILCD Handbook: General guide for Life Cycle Assessment - Detailed guidance) and standards (ISO 14044:2006 and ISO 14040:2006). It is structured in a series of steps, which are: 1. LCA goal & scope definition 2. Inventory analysis (LCI) 3. Impact assessment (LCIA) 4. Interpretation Goal and scope definition Results interpretation and improvement analysis Inventory analysis Impact assessment 30° MONTH MEETING - Madrid, February 6, 2014

3 step 1 step 2 step 4 step LCA – Phases Study scope System limits Functional unit System functions Energy flows Material flows Emissions 1 step 2 step 3 step Assessment method application 4 step Identification of strategy intervention 30° MONTH MEETING - Madrid, February 6, 2014

“Cradle to grave” life cycle: LCA – Goal and scope Goal and Scope definition phase aims to define how big part of product life cycle will be taken in assessment and to what will assessment be serving. The criteria identified and specific time horizon are described in this step. In particular, the analysis of the energetic and environmental impacts of the innovative recycled plastic based panel has been performed, considering “Cradle to grave” life cycle: Production process Use phase End of life 30° MONTH MEETING - Madrid, February 6, 2014

LCA – Goal and scope In order to perform the LCA, a proper Functional Unit has been defined: Functional unit is represented by 0.5 m2 of panel surface, with 0.09 m of thickness and 28.53 kg of weight All data regarding materials and energy consumption will be referred directly or through a proportion, to this functional unit All calculated impacts (e.g. global warming potential, acidification potential, eutrophication potential, use of non renewable resources, etc.) will be referred to the selected functional unit 30° MONTH MEETING - Madrid, February 6, 2014

LCA – Inventory analysis (LCI) Inventory analysis is the description of material and energy flows within the product system and especially its interaction with environment, consumed raw materials and emissions to the environment. All important processes and subsidiary energy and material flows are described here. In the following all the collected information on the EcoPlasBrick panel are reported. 30° MONTH MEETING - Madrid, February 6, 2014

LCA – Inventory analysis (LCI) Main components of the panel: Skin material constituted by 1 cm (thickness) of plasterboard on both side of the panel. The plasterboard density is 600-900 kg/m3 Core material made of 6-10 cm (thickness) of mixed densified plastic waste, polyurethane foam and water Woody frame constituted by: Wood: total weight of 1.5 kg Steel plates: total weight of 0.1-0.4 kg 30° MONTH MEETING - Madrid, February 6, 2014

LCA – Inventory analysis (LCI) Core composition: Densified material + polyurethane foam + water Core total weight: 18.88 kg Densified material: Aggregate weight: 15-20 kg Available LCA for other data Polyurethane foam: Polyurethane weight: 1.3-3.4 kg Water used as activator: Water weight: 0.2-0.8 kg The densified material is mixed with the polyurethane and water by using a mixer (1.5 CV) for 2-15 minutes. 30° MONTH MEETING - Madrid, February 6, 2014

LCA – Inventory analysis (LCI) Production process of the panel: A first layer of skin (plasterboard) is placed in a mold The densified material-polyurethane mix is put on the skin layer in the mold The second layer of skin is placed on the mixture The panel made of the three layers is pressed by using simple clamps The cure phase takes around 10-90 minutes at 15°-60°C The densified material is transported from Treviso (Centro Riciclo Vedelago) The polyurethane foam is transported from Correggio, Reggio Emilia The materials used to build the panel frame are provided by local producers. 30° MONTH MEETING - Madrid, February 6, 2014

Impact category (ILCD guidelines) LCA – Impact Assessment (LCIA) Impact assessment is based on the details from Inventory Analysis Impact category (ILCD guidelines) Units EDIP 2003, Stratospheric ozone depletion [kg R11-Equiv.] Acidification, accumulated exceedance [Moles of N or S- Equiv.] CML2002 Resource Depletion, fossil and mineral, reserve Based [kg Sb-Equiv.] IPCC global warming, incl biogenic carbon [kg CO2-Equiv.] Particulate matter/Respiratory inorganics, RiskPoll [kg PM2,5-Equiv.] Terrestrial eutrophication, accumulated exceedance Total freshwater consumption, including rainwater (acc. to UBP 2006) [kg] ReCiPe 1.07 Midpoint (H) - Freshwater eutrophication [kg P eq] ReCiPe 1.07 Midpoint (H) - Ionising radiation [kg U235 eq] ReCiPe 1.07 Midpoint (H) - Photochemical oxidant formation [kg NMVOC] USEtox, Ecotoxicity (recommended) [CTUeco] USEtox, Human toxicity, cancer (recommended) [CTUh] USEtox, Human toxicity, non-canc. (recommended) Land Transformation Indicator [sqm] 30° MONTH MEETING - Madrid, February 6, 2014

LCA – Impact Assessment (LCIA) results The indicator results of all impact categories for Panel manufacturing, Use phase and End of Life are here reported: 30° MONTH MEETING - Madrid, February 6, 2014

Indicators calculated with the new methods LCA – Interpretation Interpretation of life cycle involve critical review, determination of data sensitivity and result presentation LCIA results update: Update of the GaBi software realized in order to be fully compliant to PEF (Product Environmental Footprint) recommendation 2013/179/EU Indicators calculated with the new methods Updated indicators Terrestrial eutrophication, accumulated exceedance Acidification, accumulated exceedance Freshwater eutrophication, EUTREND model, ReCiPe Resource Depletion, fossil and mineral, reserve Based, CML2002 Marine eutrophication, EUTREND model, ReCiPe IPCC global warming, incl biogenic carbon Photochemical ozone formation, LOTOS-EUROS model, ReCiPe Particulate matter/Respiratory inorganics, RiskPoll Total freshwater consumption, including rainwater, Swiss Ecoscarcity Ionising radiation, human health effect model, ReCiPe Ecotoxicity for aquatic fresh water, USEtox Ozone depletion, WMO model, ReCiPe USEtox, Human toxicity, cancer USEtox, Human toxicity, non-canc DEVIATIONS ARE MINOR!!! 30° MONTH MEETING - Madrid, February 6, 2014

LCA phase III: Interpretation of results Deliverable D4.3 LCA phase III: Interpretation of results 30° MONTH MEETING - Madrid, February 6, 2014

LCA – Interpretation Interpretation of life cycle involve critical review, determination of data sensitivity and result presentation The following analyses have been performed: Hot spot Analysis Sensitivity Analysis Normalization 30° MONTH MEETING - Madrid, February 6, 2014

LCA – Interpretation Hot Spot Analysis: Identify the processes that are the main responsible of environmental impacts The manufacturing phase is the phase in which the most impacting contributions are present. For each indicator the one/two main contributor(s) have been identified and also their shares compared to total value have been calculated. Results: Polyurethane and Gypsum plaster board production are the heaviest phases from the environmental point of view. For GWP also the energy used for densified flake production contributes to total indicator value. 30° MONTH MEETING - Madrid, February 6, 2014

Sending to landfill of core and skin LCA – Interpretation Sensitivity Analysis: Identify and focus on key data and assumptions that have most influence on a result Data on manufacturing process are quite accurate, due the direct interaction with manufacturer. Instead uncertainties are present on transport contributions (before and after the production) and end of life options. The following assumptions have been made: Original Input Data Assumptions Distance from PU foam provider to Motulab facilities 451 V1 451*3=1353 V2 451*0.5=225.5 Distance between Motulab facilities and installation site 250 V3 1000 End of life of the panel Step 1: Disassembly of core, skins and steel plates Step 2: Core: Recycling, Skin: Incinerator, Steel plates: Recovery V4 Sending to landfill of core and skin V5 V1+V3+V4 30° MONTH MEETING - Madrid, February 6, 2014

LCA – Interpretation Sensitivity Analysis: identify and focus on key data and assumptions that have most influence on a result OPTION V1: The distance between PU foam provider and Motulab facilities has been shifted from 451 to 1353 km Results: The only important variations over 10% regards Human Toxicity – Non cancerogenic. Further noticeable variations affect Marine Eutrophication (8.18%) and Terrestrial Eutrophication (48.5%) 30° MONTH MEETING - Madrid, February 6, 2014

LCA – Interpretation Sensitivity Analysis: identify and focus on key data and assumptions that have most influence on a result OPTION V2: The distance between PU foam provider and Motulab facilities has been split in half from 451 to 225.5 km Result: No important variations are present 30° MONTH MEETING - Madrid, February 6, 2014

LCA – Interpretation Sensitivity Analysis: identify and focus on key data and assumptions that have most influence on a result OPTION V3: The distance between Motulab facilities and estimated installation site has been shifted from 200 to 1000 km Results: The hypothetical enlargement of the market in terms of area of deliveries, entails an evident increase of several indicators. In particular: Human Toxicity (non cancer) becomes an impact, while was a benefit (credit) in standard conditions. Acidification (31.67%) Marine (86.21%) Terrestrial Eutrophication (51.16%) 30° MONTH MEETING - Madrid, February 6, 2014

LCA – Interpretation Sensitivity Analysis: identify and focus on key data and assumptions that have most influence on a result OPTION V4: Except steel plates which are still sent to recovery, the other panel components (core and skin) are sent directly to landfill Results: The recourse to landfill have an important impact on: Freshwater Eutrophication Particulate Production Human Toxicity (non cancer) Ozone Depletion Global life cycle still generates benefits (thanks to the recycling of materials) even if lower than standard option 30° MONTH MEETING - Madrid, February 6, 2014

OPTION V5: Combination of V1,V3 and V4 LCA – Interpretation Sensitivity Analysis: identify and focus on key data and assumptions that have most influence on a result OPTION V5: Combination of V1,V3 and V4 Results: The worst conditions generate the worst impacts in terms of environmental and energetic performances. The main impacts affected by these variations (over 100%) are: Freshwater Eutrophication Human Toxicity, non cancer (which become an impact while in standard condition were avoided impacts) Particulate Matter production Marine Eutrophication (increases the impact value) Ozone Depletion (avoided impact is reduced by almost 90%) 30° MONTH MEETING - Madrid, February 6, 2014

LCA – Interpretation Normalization: The different characterized impact scores are related to a common reference. The term of comparison used is the annual environmental impact of an European citizen equivalent Considerations: Some impact categories do not have a normalization value referred to person equivalent If the global value of an indicator is negative (benefit for the environment) it has no sense to define a normalization value Normalization methods used: USEtox Europe ReCiPe 1.08 (E) IPCC, EU25+3 30° MONTH MEETING - Madrid, February 6, 2014

LCA – Interpretation Normalization: The different characterized impact scores are related to a common reference. The term of comparison used is the annual environmental impact of an European citizen equivalent Results: As regards climate change indicator, for instance, an Ecoplasbrick panel, assuming the conditions expresses in LCI, has an impact equal to 1.799*E-03 person 556 m2 of Ecoplasbrick panel ≡ 1 Equivalent European Person/ year 30° MONTH MEETING - Madrid, February 6, 2014

LCA – Interpretation Reccomandations: The hot spot analysis highlights that the primary impact in all main indicators is “RER: Polyurethane rigid foam (PU) Plastic Europe”, in some case reaching up to 80% of the overall impacts. Huge amount of recycled materials are generating “avoided impacts” thus decreasing the overall figure. This is critical and it is recommended in the real case to implement this “recycling material chain” to support the above quoted hypothesis. 30° MONTH MEETING - Madrid, February 6, 2014

Status in brief LCA Phase Report Delivery Goal and Scope Definition 15 November 2013 Inventory analysis Models preparation Impact assessment D4.2.2 Interpretation D4.3 31 January 2014 Technical documentation for Environmental Product Declaration D4.4 June 2014 30° MONTH MEETING - Madrid, February 6, 2014

Questions? 30° MONTH MEETING - Madrid, February 6, 2014

Thank you for your kind attention! Daniela Reccardo 30° MONTH MEETING - Madrid, February 6, 2014